96 romantic ideas & gifts for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the one day a year where you can show the person you love how much they truly mean to you. There can be a lot of pressure finding that perfect gift, or the right restaurant – a lot of lovers feel this pressure and this is why we have come up with 96 ideas to help you as well as take some of that pressure off.

So, without further ado – here are 96 ideas for you and your beau:

Floral fruit bouquet

Flowers are a must on Valentine’s Day, try sending something new with an edible chocolate strawberry flower bouquet!

No matter where you are in Australia, there are always great locations for a romantic getaway. Take a look at our article on weekend getaways.

There are also some great apps and travel hacks available to save money on domestic and international flights. What Valentine wouldn’t love a romantic getaway to a nearby overseas destination such as Bali, New Zealand or Fiji!

A nice wallet means a lot to a guy especially if it’s good quality and has a brand name attached to it. If you’re thinking of buying your partner a wallet, go the extra mile and add buy one with a picture slot – so you can add a pic of you both together.

The right purse can be a real hit on Valentine’s Day, add his and her their initials for that special everlasting touch.

Jewellery

Jewellery can be a huge winner on Valentines. Make sure it’s the right piece of jewellery for your relationship, you may want to steer away from a ring – as it can give the wrong impression.

Hire a singer

Hire a barbershop quartet to show up at dinner and get them to sing your favourite song. Corny, but cool in its own way.

Custom bed linen

Surprise your Valentine with a whole new bed fit out. You could your initial printed on his and her side of the bed or go classy and buy some silk or Egyptian cotton?

Custom made perfume

This can be a personal choice for men and women. Make sure you know the type of perfume your Valentines uses or customise your own scent for your other half.

Surprise cruise

Depending on where you live and if you have sea legs – a nice river or harbour cruise can be an extremely romantic experience.

Hire a boat

Take a boat out for the day and go fishing with your Valentines – If you don’t have a boat licence, hire a charter to take you out.

Paddle boarding

This can be a fun experience, just make sure you go with a group with an instructor so they can show you the ropes.

Horse riding

There are some great places throughout Australia, that can take you and your Valentine out on for a trot. Riding a horse on the beach or through valleys can be such an amazing experience.

Cooking class

There are plenty of cooking classes in your local area, choose the class that you’d like to attend with your beau and enjoy an evening of cooking your own food together.

Art class

Get your art on, join a class and learn the basics of drawing, painting or sculpture. Remember that scene in Ghost, hot stuff!

Skydiving

For the more adventurous of you love birds, skydiving is an extreme way to spend your Valentine’s Day and one that you’re surely not going to forget anytime soon!

Parasailing

This isn’t as extreme as skydiving, but it’s definitely up there as adventurous – you and your partner can see things from a different perspective. Get sky high off the back of a boat and send your love soaring.

Hot air balloon

A hot air balloon ride would be magnificent on the right day. Make sure you check out the wind factor and ensure it’s a sunny day.

Personalised chocolates

Chocolates are a bit of a cliché on Valentine’s Day, however try something different with a custom made, personalised chocolate delivery.

Hire a Band

Hire a band, preferably mariachi or a romantic band – you could have the band come to your house or a selected destination and have them play while you have a nice romantic dinner for two.

Handmade card

Make your own romantic card for your partner, just buy some cardboard, glitter, coloured pens and glue for an image or two. Write or draw something heart felt and meaningful.

Stuffed animals

What animal does your partner like…bear, puppy, cat? Well, why not buy them a cute stuffed animal that they can hug up to?

Car

For an expensive surprise, you could buy your loved one a car. I know this may seem extravagant, so make sure you think long and hard before buying a car for your partner. If you do buy one, you can put an awesome bow around it.

Bikes

You could start a new hobby together by buying bikes for the two of you, this is a romantic and active gift. You can create lots of future memories together on adventures across the town.

Surfing

Book in a few surfing lessons with your partner, this is a great activity for you both to get fit and it’s really enjoyable once you get the hang of it.

Furniture

Buying a bespoke piece of furniture can be a massive winner! Make sure it suits your partner’s décor and will be something that they can put to use – but think of you when they see it.

Photo album

Are you looking for a place to store all those photos of each other? Instead of leaving them on your hard drive, how about printing them out and putting them into a photo album? This will show that you have put a lot of thought into the gift.

Shaving kit

A shaving kit can be a great idea, especially if you don’t like your partner’s hipster beard. In all seriousness, this can be a great gift – as shaving is an everyday part of life and it’d be a nice to think that your partner remembers this gift every day.

Enlarged custom photo canvas

Taking the photo album to the next step, get your favourite image blown up onto a piece of canvas! You could have a photo turned designed, so it looks like a painting.

Custom cuff links

Is your man into movies and computer games, well why not get him a custom pair of cufflinks? These days you can get everything from Super Mario Brothers to Star Wars, pretty cool if he’s into that kind of thing.

Chopper ride

Have you ever been in a helicopter? Well there is nothing quite like taking a ride around the heads at Sydney or over the beaches at Surfers – it will make one unique gift.

Customised calendar

Create a love calendar, with love note for each day/week – it’d be nice to see something from your partner from each day of the year. Or a special image for each month of the year.

Limousine pick up

Take your partner out on a date in style, hire a limo – it’s stylish and very cool. Make sure you have roses and champers on ice.

Organise a tepanyaki dinner

Go to a nice restaurant that has a great atmosphere and good entertainment that you would find at a tepanaki restaurant.

Board game

Twister anyone? A board game can be an inexpensive and great fun to do with your partner.

Candy gram

Deliver love candies to your Valentine’s work with a special message, who wouldn’t love some candies on such a special day?

Custom lipsticks

Matching PJs

This is a cute idea and I’m talking matching onesies, no one would ever notice the corniness behind walls.

Berry picking

Go on a romantic afternoon of picking your favourite berries and end the day with a scoop of berry ice cream.

Steam train

Take a step back in time and have a romantic day on a steam train! See what it was like to travel at the turn of last century – you could even dress for the occasion.

Bungy jumping

Extreme date, but if you feel adventurous enough and your partner is like minded – then jumping off something really high with a rubber band stuck to your legs could be fun.

Dancing

Take your partner to a salsa or tango lesson. It’s romantic and fun.

Backyard camping

Get that old camping gear out of the garage (make sure you air it out) set up the tent and crack the champers! Spend a romantic night together under the stars in your own back yard.

Enjoy nature

Take the person you love to experience something spectacular in nature: a sunset, a sunrise, the calm of the beach, share an evening walk gazing at the moon.

Drive in cinemas

Go back in time and enjoy a drive in movie. Believe it or not there are still areas in Australia that drive ins still exist…pretty awesome.

Ferris wheel

Have a dinner with a magnificent view on a Ferris wheel, this can be done at Luna Park – it’s a nice moment to share with one another.

Concert tickets

Buy tickets to you partners favourite band (if they’re playing in Australia) and surprise them with the tickets.

Xbox/PlayStation game’s

Is your partner into gaming? Well how about buying them a game or two? I’m sure they would appreciate it, maybe put some conditions to it – like, they can’t play it on the Day?

Sports equipment

A new golf club would be a fantastic gift from your loved one! As an avid golfer, I would love a new driver from my partner.

Beauty day

Pamper your partner by hiring a beautician to provide a makeover, pedicure and massage.

Day spa

This could be a great thing to do as a couple, get your mud and massage on!

Hair dresser

Treat your partner to a haircut or style. This could go down quite badly, so make sure your partner has been talking about a new style before you do this – a safer option may be a blow dry bar.

Candles

Purchase some scented candles, you can’t go wrong with this gift – it smells good and it’s unique.

Record player

Buy an old record player and a bunch of old love songs on vinyl – it’s a funky and cool idea. You can pair this with a nice romantic dinner.

Robot vacuum

I’m one that would usually say, stay away from appliances as it’s not 1950. But when you buy something that cleans up for you without effort – I think you have a winner.

Tie and belt

A great gift for your partner, especially if they have to wear a tie to work. Belts are necessity even if they wear jeans to work – just make sure you get the right size.

Fob watch

Thinking of getting your partner a watch for Valentine’s Day? Don’t be boring, think out of the box and get a fob watch. They’re pretty original, unless your partner is a nurse and then it’s a practical gift – so it’s win, win.

Gardening

Is your partner a bit of a green thumb? Buy them a bunch of seeds to plant, a small tree or some gardening tools – stay clear of buying fertiliser on a day like this.

Suitcase

Not just any suitcase, a bright yellow or orange suitcase – picture being stuck at the airport, waiting for your luggage after a twenty something hour flight. Suddenly you see your bright pink suitcase being pushed along the conveyor belt, relief and happiness will come across your face every time.

These have been all the rage over the last few years, they’re a great gift for the partner that likes to capture their adventure’s – whether that be mountain biking, traveling or running with the bulls in Pamplona.

TV

If you and your partner haven’t got a Smart TV, then you’re missing out on spectacular viewing – especially with the dawn of Netflix.

Backpack

How does your partner carry their gear to work? Have they got a ratty old gym bag? Well, why not buy them a new bag that’s roomy and looks great.

Hiking gear

Do you and your partner like to go hiking? Well, it may be time to update their shirts, shorts, shoes and so on.

Travel pillow

It can be a literal pain in the neck falling asleep on a train or plane without support. Picture a decked out travel pillow that is from your one true love, you would take it everywhere.

Customised laptop cover

It is a practical gift as laptops can be expensive and they need to be taken care of – you may want to accompany this with an extra gift e.g. a phone cover.

Silk sleep mask

Is your partner a bit of a noisy sleeper, snoring etc? Well, get them a silk sleep mask and yourself some ear plugs – it will give you both a good night sleep. You could even have the sleep mask embroidered with something funny.

Throw rug

This is a nice feature to add to a bed or lounge and can really compliment you and your partners room.

Hair brush

This is a practical gift for your partner and a good hair brush is something that can last for years. It can also make a great gag gift if your man is bold.

Lingerie

What better way to get the mood going on Valentine’s Day then to buy your lady some lingerie? Just make sure you have all the sizing right.

Hire a chef

Have a chef come to your house and cook you a dinner for two on the day. Make sure it’s food that you both like or things could get awkward.

Roses

Buy a red rose for every day you’ve known them, this is a great gift for your girlfriend or wife – I don’t know if a guy would be a fan.

Poems

Get a book of love poems and serenade your partner with literature.

Stationery kit

This can be a nice idea, with the world being so technical, emails and texts – it’s nice to receive a letter now and again.

Love notes

If you don’t have a cookie jar, buy one and then fill it with all the love notes you can muster.

Personalised caricature

Have a good artist take a picture of you and turn it into a caricature. It’s a fun idea, just make sure your partner is cool with having their features distorted in an image.

Balloons bouquet

Give your loved one a balloon bouquet, everyone loves balloons – especially if they’re delivered while you’re at work to show off to your colleagues.

A gag gift

This is a gift that is a personal joke between the two of you, a cartoon that you watch, a sort of food or a destination that you both think is corny.

Classic love song CDs

Go to Gumtree and buy up all the love song CDs that are on sale, if you get all the classics it could be a nice gift.

His & her mugs

Buy a his and her mug, one for the both of you, it would be a thoughtful gift to have during your morning coffees or night time teas.

Love-themed jigsaw puzzle

This is a nice idea for something you can complete together as a couple. It takes hours, but can be very rewarding once complete. It can also be quite frustrating, so choose your audience.

Recreate your first date

Not much more to be said, just make it a magical evening.

Skywriting

This is old school, but still works (well I think it’s romantic), just make sure it’s the right weather for such a thing.

Scuba diving

There are plenty of fantastic places around Australia to go scuba diving, if you haven’t been scuba before – there are plenty of instructors to take you through ropes.

Sticky notes

After your spouse goes to bed, tape notes to his car’s steering wheel with reasons that you love him, or decorate the bathroom mirror with lipstick kisses or Valentine’s window clings.

Champagne flutes

Buy two champagne flutes for use on Valentine’s Day only to annually toast your love. Keep them in a visible location as a year-round reminder of how special you are to each other.

Oils ain’t oils

Give each other back rubs or head-to-toe body massages. Invest in luxurious lotion or oils.

Complimentary chores

Pick a few household chores your Valentine usually does and surprise them by doing it before they get a chance, i.e., making the bed. It doesn’t sound romantic, but the thought will most certainly count.

Polaroid camera

Take pictures the old school way and stick them up around the house. It looks cool and celebrates your love.

Canoeing

This could be the start of a new hobby for the both of you? Canoeing is fun and you can take them around the country to concur different rivers!

Bridge climb

This is one that’s a must do on a Valentine’s Day that you’re both in Sydney, majestic views and a once in a life time memory.

Botanical gardens

There are botanical gardens throughout Australia. Spend the day walking through the gardens, viewing animals, falls and nature. It makes for a really relaxing and lovely day.